Christmas Blessings

Christmas Blessings ~ From Our House to Yours

 

May the Peace and Love of the Season

remain in your hearts

all year long.

xo Susy

 

First Stop: ZION

Day one of our road trip was a travel day, with a stay-over in Cedar City before heading into Zion National Park.  Cedar City is several miles past the turnoff we needed, but it was a necessary diversion in order to eat at Rusty's Ranch House.  [What we do for food!]

The following morning we arrived at Zion. Vehicles are no longer allowed to travel freely throughout the park, so we headed to the Visitor's Center and took the 90 minute shuttle ride.  You're able to get off several times, anytime, and enjoy the amenities and hiking trails.  We stayed put for the round trip, then enjoyed a picnic lunch before getting back on the road.

 

These pictures were taken through the front window of the truck, 

and the extreme blue at the very top of the first two is from window tinting.

The cliffs of Zion are made of sandstone; 

sand that's been compressed by the pressure of overlying deposits.

Did you know that Zion was named by Brigham Young?  

He originally called it Little Zion, but when it became a National Park in 1918, 

it became simply Zion.

Oh boy!

This is the Zion - Mt.Carmel tunnel, completed in 1930, and over a mile long 

~ always a favorite part of the trip.

 

The breaks allow for light and ventilation. 

 

 

Sadly the national parks are temporarily closed, 

and even their websites have been shut down.

I'm so grateful we had good timing and perfect weather.

Next stop:  Provo, Utah

Counting My Blessings,

xo Susy

Changes

Fall is upon us.  For my beach community, the changes to the new season are always subtle.  First it's an increasing nip in the air, morning and evening, until finally it's necessary to close the windows that have stood open all summer.  Then the leaves of the maples and sycamores lining the neighborhood streets are no longer green.  They don't move gracefully from yellow to amber to red, however ~ they simply go brown and eventually fall off. 

As with the new season, some subtle changes have taken place for me too.  It's all good, and I'm so happy to have  time again to blog and visit!

One of the changes is (after much consideration), I've decided to make some adjustments in my time commitments to the charities and boards I serve, and already I'm feeling relieved and  refocused.  Sadly, I'll be saying goodbye to a board I've been on for ten years - but I know it's the right decision.

Also, hubby and I recently returned from a 6-day road trip to Sundance, Utah, that was possibly one of the sweetest we've had in years.  The drive was beautiful, our accommodations were wonderful, and we spent most of the time in the company of our son and daughter-in-law, and their friends.  I came back extremely refreshed, and inspired to start this new season of my life.

I'll tell you all about it, a little at a time.

Here's where we stayed.  It's a vacation home of friends of our son and DIL, 

in an area just above the Sundance resort, called Brickerhaven.

No internet, no wifi, no TV, no cell phone reception.

And no coffee maker. Oh my!

Counting My Blessings,

xo Susy

Yes and Amen

I was awakened this morning, while it was still dark, by the sound of a train whistle off in the distance. Keeping my eyes closed (and hoping to go back to sleep), I could hear the train rumbling on the tracks, and my thoughts turned to all those people that lived even closer than I. How could they sleep? 

I couldn't, and eventually scuffed into the kitchen to make coffee. 

Later, as I settled into a plate of eggs over easy, in my cute little breakfast room, I opened my bible randomly to the OT. 

 
I happened upon a page that had a verse highlighted and underscored, and I'd written multiple notes in the margin. Two were just dates: 6/23/03, and 5/9/08 ~ no notations. 

Another one read "4/12/05 Took communion and worshipped. Received this word before going to take mammogram." [The doctors have been telling me for decades they have concerns.]

The big note at the bottom of the page brought a smile to my face. "5/18. Received a physical 'wave' of the Holy Spirit at RWC [Women's Conference], and heard in my heart 'never again'. On 5/8 I had a physical & am being sent to GYN to rule out cancer. It's already been ruled out! DONE!!!" 

Here's the verse that was marked up? 

Zeph. 3:14-15
Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!  The LORD has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You shall see disaster no more.*
There's an asterisk on the last line of those verses with a final side note: * "Never again will you fear any harm" 

I think, and I believe, that in the middle of our night seasons, when we can't sleep and we're rumbling down the tracks of our life, the Father hears the cries of our heart that come to His ears like a train whistle. But instead of turning away and making coffee, He gently leans down and whispers to us, saying "Never again".   

Counting My Blessings

xo Susy

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, 

to the glory of God through us.  ~2 Cor. 1:20

Hot Spots and Peppers!

I'm heading out shortly to have coffee with a local grassroots organizer and the head of a minister's alliance in my city.  The purpose of our meeting ~ to discuss a request from our police department to have teams of citizens PRAY in gang 'hot spots'.  That's right, PRAY!




It's going to be modeled after successful prayer-walk efforts in the city of Salinas, CA. and Boston, MA.  called "Night Walks".  Apparently, those involved with violence prevention programs believe that involving the faith-based community is essential to impacting neighborhoods.

I've been invited to "the table" because I founded and facilitated an intercessory prayer group, CityWatch, that met monthly and prayed for ten years for our city.  I'm humbled to be a part of this huge step in the "church of the city" connecting with city government for the purpose of transforming community.

In the meantime, I'm making pico de gallo from some of our garden peppers.

Hope you're having a great Monday!

Counting My Blessings

xo  Susy

One Man's Trash...

I was moved by this little video that carries a big message.  It's about kids in Paraguay that play instruments made from discarded trash from the city dump.

"When I listen to the sound of a violin, I feel butterflies in my stomach." ~ Ada 

For more information on these incredible kids,  Google

 

Counting My Blessings,

xo Susy